One of the reasons I apply process to my magical work is because with good processes in place, it makes easier to innovate and experiment with magic. I learned that in the business world and I've applied to my spiritual practices over the years to great success. You can actually learn a lot by taking the practice of one discipline and applying it to another discipline. In business, processes are used to solve problems, design and implement solutions, and to encourage creativity. Process encourages creativity by cutting out extraneous busy work, to focus on what really works, but in order to discover what works you necessarily need to work the process.

A lot of times creativity is treated as a chaotic experience, which occurs when a person is inspired. But in my experience, creativity is quite structured. Process provides the necessary structure for creativity to flourish in. Whether I'm writing, painting, or practicing magic, having a process in place allows me to work with my creativity as a resource. I'm not just waiting for inspiration to hit me...I'm actively cultivating it as part of my process.

When you think of process, you might think of it as a linear series of steps, but process is much more than just that. Process is a non-linear way of thinking. Process examines the variables in a given situation and looks at what is needed to bring everything together in order to do whatever you are going to do. It doesn't always move in one direction or lead to one result.

When I experiment with magic, I use process to provide a baseline I can work with. I know that there are fundamental principles of magic and I account for those in my process. Anything else can be applied as part of the process that works with those principles to achieve specific outcomes. Let's take the act of invocation as an example.

The process of invocation works with the principle of connection. You are invoking an entity for the purposes of communion, connection, communication, possession, etc., and all of it boils down to connection. Now what you'll do as a result of the invocation may differ from person to person, but the principle is the same regardless of what technique you are using. That's where process comes into play and along with it creativity.

Your technique needs to employ the principle of connection, but other than that, its up to you. You can go with something classic and true for your invocation, or you can get creative, based on whatever will help you employ that principle most effectively. If, for example, you are invoking a deity, you might try to create a specific costume that embodies that deity. You might also research the culture and then use culture specific items, food, etc., as part of the process of invoking the deity. If you are invoking a person, you might draw on what you know about the person, pictures, style, favorite food etc. The point here is that this process of invocation is customizable based on what you are invoking, and whatever you want to bring to the process. What stays the same is the principle being drawn upon, but beyond keeping that principle in mind, the process you work with can be as creative as needed. The reason is because the principle provides the foundation for the process to occur. What fleshes out the process is your creative approach to manifesting that process as a reality.

I recommend getting creative in your magical work because it will help you learn magic in a way that goes beyond anything you read or learn from anyone else. When you get creative with your magical work, you make it your own, and you understand how it works in a much more intimate way than you'd ever encounter otherwise. To really know your spiritual practice is to make it your own, to learn the fundamentals and then get creative and personalize what you do.

Invocation can be a magickal act unto itself, meant to bring strength, healing and attunement. Invocation can also be an important part of a ceremony.

Tarot cards can strengthen the magick of your invocation.

If you are celebrating the approaching turn of the Wheel, on your own or with a group, here is a way to use tarot in your invocation and ritual.

Whether you call it Imbolg, Imbolc, Brigid, Candlemas or Groundhog’s Day, this cross-quarter day between the Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox marks the very first signs of spring. The four tarot Aces, indicating new beginnings as the seed, source and essence of each element, are appropriate tools for invocation.

Hold each Ace to your heart, breathing in its energy, and welcoming a new beginning as spring emerges. Then, place it on the altar as you move to the next element.

Let the Ace of Swords, and the element of Air, bring new ability to communicate, to discern truth and to maintain clarity.

Let the Ace of Wands, and the element of Fire, bring new energy, new passion and new inspiration.

Let the Ace of Cups, and the element of Water, bring fresh healing and hope to your heart.

Let the Ace of Pentacles, and the element of Earth, bring a new opportunity for prosperity and wellness in the coming spring.

You may use the Queen of Wands to invoke Brigid. Again, hold the card to your heart as you say your invocation, and then place the card on your altar.

Here is an invocation that uses the Queen of Wands as Brigid for personal transformation.

Although I’ve been trying to lighten up the bookshelves in my home by donating some books to Pagan libraries, loaning out many (which seldom seem to return home), and simply putting some books I’ve read “in circulation,” such as leaving them at my gym or giving them to someone else to read with no expectation of getting them back.However, that doesn’t mean a bibliophile such as me has ceased buying books altogether.In spite of limited funds for non-essentials, I do consider books to be essential to my life, so I still buy them, albeit much more selectively than I’ve done in the past.I especially tend to purchase books of poetry, even more especially if I know the poet, and/or anthologies in which their work is published.I feel strongly about supporting the arts as much as we can; this is one of my ways of supporting the arts.

I returned home from PantheaCon with only two new books; I restrained myself.

One is Gus diZerega’s Fault Lines: The Sixties, the Culture Wars, and the Return of the Divine Feminine.I’ve been reading parts of earlier iterations of this work, and, having lived a life that fits into the title, I’m eager to read it when I don’t have plenty of reading piled up that pertains to projects I’m working on.The cover is jarring, perhaps as it should be considering the subject matter, but it’s not appealing to me.As they say, “you can’t tell a book by its cover.”

The other book features the work of a poet I’ve only been aware of for the past two years or so but whose work touches my soul.From the Prow of Myth, by Michael Routery, contains many praises and invocatory poems inspired by Greek and Irish myth, as well as others appealing to those with Pagan sensibilities.

I facilitate the Wiccan circle[1] at San Quentin State Prison.Since I’m personally very goddess-oriented, and the inmates are all male, I’m always on the lookout for ‘good god stuff.’I’ve found several pieces in Michael’s book that I intend to incorporate into the liturgy I’m using with the inmates.So thanks, Michael, and good luck with the book!Good luck to Gus with his new book, too!

[1]“Wiccan circle” is the name either chosen by the inmates or assigned by prison authorities.This circle, which its members consider to be something of a coven, has a name of its own as well.By the nature of its membership and the disparity of their experiences, their educational backgrounds, and their individual and collective interests, this circle is more accurately broadly Pagan.

Invoke (v.): To petition for support; to cite as authority; to conjure.

What does it mean to invoke?

The word "invoke" derives from the old Latin word vocare, meaning "to call" and is related to the word vox, meaning voice.

All three of the meanings included above are related and involve a form of identity. Essentially, we are calling upon a person or entity with some measure of power/authority to act in our behalf or through us. It is a means of identifying with or even as something/someone that is normally outside of ourselves.

Patti Wigington defines invocation as "a form of voluntary possession. When you invoke a deity being, ... you're inviting it into yourself, and that god or goddess will manifest through a human host."

I've long been convinced that the Hebrew commandment not to take the name of YHWH in vain relates, not to four-letter words, but to the practice of invoking the god's name frivolously. This is serious stuff; even more so because it applies not just to deities, but to things in the mundane world we often overlook or even ignore.

Whenever we identify with something, we are invoking the power of its nature and its definition, applying that definition to ourselves.

It might be a spiritual label; a political party; a product; a sports team or whatever. Identifying with any of these things is a form of invocation. Something as simple as declaring you're a fan of "The Walking Dead" both claims and invokes the power of those words to communicate something about yourself.

Why do successful sports teams have more fans than those that more often post losing records? Because more people are attracted to their power/success and, therefore, identify with them.

Why are celebrities more powerful, in some senses, than lesser-known individuals? In part, it may be because of their personal charisma, talent or skill. But in part, it is because of a bandwagon effect: Others gravitate toward the popular and successful and seek to identify with it in order to share that popularity or success. This then snowballs until the celebrity's status is often (though certainly not always) out of proportion to his/her skill or talent.

Deities are prone to the same phenomenon. The more we invoke/identify with them, the greater their status becomes. Shifting statuses within pantheons offer one example: Zeus may well have supplanted Chronos at the head of the Greek pantheon because more people came to identify with him: More worshipers invoked his name and attributes. Another example is the rise of the Christian god, whose cult overwhelmed older spiritual traditions as it spread. This is, admittedly, a sensitive area. Gods, whether you think of them as literal or archetypal, have their own charisma, talents and skills that attract adherents in the first place, just as celebrities do. But the snowball effect works with deities in just the same way: The more people gravitate toward them, the faster their worship will spread.

Invoking involves not only identity, but authority, as well. By invoking something or someone, one can call upon the authority of that entity to settle a dispute. No one offers a greater degree of authority than a deity, but other sources of authority can be invoked in the same way, whether they be political leaders, religious figures or scriptures. In debate, the strategy known as "appeal to authority" is a form of invocation. One identifies with the authority as a means of ending the debate. (Ken Hay used this strategy in his recent debate with Bill Nye about creationism when he appealed to the Bible as the ultimate authority in scientific matters.)

Appeals to authority don't further debate about an issue; on the contrary, they shut it down. Instead of focusing on the ideas, our attention is shifted to an authority figure who supposedly is the last word on the subject. Discussion ends, people stop listening and, often, one side feels as though it has not been heard. The result is often anger and frustration.

I recently decided to stop referring to political leaders and parties in my online posts, because doing so tended to shut down discussions. When I did so, people often became angry and responded with insults directed toward the leaders/parties in question, rather than listening to the ideas I wished to communicate (which were, ultimately, far more important to me than the individuals espousing them). Suddenly, no one was listening because of what was, on my part, a careless invocation.

The lesson I learned from this is that invocations, whether of deities or other sources of authority, should never be undertaken lightly and should be used sparingly. While the source of an idea can lend it credibility, truth will always be able to stand on its own, regardless of whether a deity, politician or celebrity endorses it.

Read more]]>stifynemrys@gmail.com (Stifyn Emrys)Studies BlogsThu, 20 Feb 2014 11:25:46 -0800Halloween Masks and Invocationhttp://witchesandpagans.com/pagan-studies-blogs/magical-transformations/halloween-masks-and-invocation.html
http://witchesandpagans.com/pagan-studies-blogs/magical-transformations/halloween-masks-and-invocation.htmlHalloween is the first cosplay convention that ever was, and the longest running one, but Halloween is more than just that. It's a time for people to connect with the pop culture they love and embody that pop culture. For example, the recent Verizon commercial shows a family dressed up as characters (and more) from Star Wars. What strikes me about that commercial is that for that family Star Wars is real that night and in a way they get to become those characters while they trick and treat (though they do seem more obsessed with Candy than anything else).

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, and it's also one of the inspirations for my approach to pop culture magic. This isn't surprising because its during Halloween that pop culture comes out in force. People dress up as the characters they love and for an evening embody those characters in one form or another. This occurs across ages, with little children dressing up to go trick and treat, while adults dress up to have fun at a costume party. Now not all of these people intentionally set out to work magic, but Halloween is a night of masks, and as such it can be useful for magical work to explore the idea of taking on a mask.

A mask allows a person to become something else, to invoke a different presence into his/her life. The mask isn't a permanent change in identity, but rather is a temporary change that allows the person to access what the mask represents. And what the mask represents is a chance to let go and allow yourself to connect with something that isn't you, that is different from your usual identity. Of course there are potential dangers when you do this without the right constraints, and I think that one of the constraints that is present in Halloween is the idea that it's all make believe. It's a useful constraint for people who aren't magicians, but for someone who practices magic, putting on the mask is never make believe. Putting on the mask is a connection with the character, entity, deity, etc that the mask represents.

To me, Halloween is a night of invocation. When you put on the mask, and put on the costume you are invoking the character and what the character represents. The moment you start to dress the part is the moment the ritual begins. Each article of clothing you put on and each stroke of paint and make up you apply puts you in touch with the character, allowing you to connect with the character and invoke him/her/it into you. When the costume is complete, at that moment you've fully opened the door to become the character for as long as you wear the costume. However the costume is only part of the invocation. The rest of the invocation occurs when you choose to behave like the character. By choosing to behave like the character, you allow yourself to become that character. The invocation ends when you take off the costume, allowing the connection to slip away and resuming your everyday identity.

Of course, you don't have to limit invocation along these lines to Halloween, but I think Halloween is the one day of the year where you can get away with it anywhere you go. In a sense Halloween becomes the one day that everyone takes on a different identity, a different mask, a different reality, if only for the time that they wear the costume. So why not become that character you identify with or even better a character that isn't anything like you and might challenge you to behave differently than you normally would. Put on a mask and let yourself temporarily be something or someone else. It's a kind of magic in its own right, and one that can be quite useful to explore, both on Halloween and at other times if you feel so inclined.

One of the most powerful aspects of ritual work is invocation. To invoke an element, a spirit or a deity is to bring their energy to your circle, and to bring their healing magickal power to yourself.

Many Pagans use statues, images and altar tools to help with the process of invocation. To have the image of a deity on your altar not only honors the deity, it assists in invoking the energy of that deity.

We choose specific deities to invoke for specific reasons. Some of us invoke specific deities on certain holidays.It is also helpful to invoke a deity based on your specific need. A mother Goddess like Quan Yin might be helpful if you are doing fertility magick, for instance. A God associated with animals, like Cernuous, might be helpful in the healing of a pet. A Goddess of prosperity like Lakshmi might help with financial issues.

Whether you are looking to heal grief, attract a lover, lose weight or get a new job, there are deities from many cultures who can help you in your magick. And your tarot deck offers images to invoke them.

There are many tarot decks that actually depict particular deities. There are a few Goddess tarot decks, including Kris Waldherr’s classic favorite. Lisa Hunt’s Animals Divine Tarot has a Major Arcana full of deities. The newly reprinted Ancestral Path Tarot has deity images for the Minor Arcana court characters. The Spiral Tarot has deities for its Major Arcana characters.

Even your standard Waite Rider Smith deck can offer you basic images that will help you invoke many deities. The associations you can make between deities of many cultures and the Major Arcana archetypes are unlimited.

For instance, The Magician is often associated with Hermes. The Empress can be any mother Goddess. Justice is associated with Maat. The Hanged Man is associated with Odin. Use the Wheel of Fortune to summon any deity of luck. Use the Moon to invoke a moon Goddess like Artemis.

The Court Cards also invoke deities. The Queen of Wands is easily Brigid. The Page of Cups makes sense as Eros.

This is another way that your tarot deck is a box of magickal tools. Each card is waiting to help you invoke your deity and raise the energy you need. Whether for ritual holiday celebration, worship or magick, the sacred images of tarot are powerful tools of invocation.

What of the Many Gods? Are they really all One? Are they distinct individuals? Is it the same deity in many cultures? We continue our development of a Pagan Systematic Theology by addressing the Gods Themselves and some thoughts on how to think about our work with Them.

One of the really great questions humans have been working on for literally ages is “Is the World One or Many? You can find a long tour of this process in McEvilley’s “The Shape of Ancient Thought” [The kindle edition is cheap!]. We can see even in stone age mythologies efforts to express the general intuition humans have of the unity of the world.

Philosophically this is called ‘monism’ and all the great religions that develop deep self-critical literature have some form of this stance. The One of the Neoplatonists, the Tao, Shunyata for the Buddhists, are all very different ways of apprehending that unity. It is possible to confuse monism with monotheism as some scholars are doing today. (See Athanassiadi’s "Pagan Monotheism in Late Antiquity".) But as soon as you have other Deities in the system, as did the ancient Neoplatonists, it can’t be monotheism, which is specifically the rejection of all deities, except one. Indeed, in the ancient world Christians were considered and referred to as ‘atheists’ because they denied the Gods.

We discussed the world from the viewpoint of its simplicity and unity in my last blog-post, now we need to turn to its divine multiplicity. Gnosis published an early effort of mine on this subject in 1993 (What is Polytheism and how I became Polytheistic). Those were not bad ideas, but I would like to take a different tack today. . .